2017 Irish Animation Awards Shortlist Revealed

The shortlist of contenders for the 2017 Irish Animation Awards has been published ahead of the ceremony, set for Saturday, March 25 in Dingle. Presented by Animation Ireland, the second IAAs comprise 12 award categories (including new contests for commercial and feature/special), as well as the prestigious Murakami Award, which last year went to Cartoon Saloon founder and Oscar-nominated director Tomm Moore.

Winners will receive a statuette, designed by animator, film maker and teacher Eimhin McNamara, which resembles a Phenakistoscope which was an early animation device used to create an illusion of motion.

“It is fantastic to see so many companies up for these awards which include Best Animated Preschool series, Best Writer, Best VFX as part of Animated TV series or film and a new category Best Irish Feature Film or Special,” said Paul Young, Industry chair for Animation Ireland. “The Irish animation industry has witnessed substantial growth in the last decade. It is a central and important component of Ireland’s digital and creative economy, employing 1,600 full-time staff. We Irish have a passion for storytelling and the arts – a culture which is ideally suited for the creativity of world-class animation studios and we need to recognise the outstanding talent that is out there.”